Intel shows it can put its RealSense 3D depth camera inside a smartphone

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich showed off a version of its RealSense 3D depth camera this week that is small enough to be put inside a 6-inch smartphone.

Intel has previously developed versions of the RealSense camera that can be put inside laptops and tablets, including the recent Dell Venue 8 7840. Krzanich showed off the RealSense smartphone prototype during a keynote speech at the Intel Developers Forum in Shenzhen, China. However, he did not actually show the camera working inside the smartphone.

Here's what Intel had to say about Krzanich's presentation, per BBC News:

"The device which was shown on stage at the Intel Developer Forum was a prototype that was created in collaboration with a Chinese firm, whom we are not naming," said a spokeswoman for the company. "The device is meant to show the different types of apps, usage models and form factors that RealSense tech can be integrated into and to encourage innovation."

It's possible Intel could offer a version of the RealSense camera inside future smartphones with its processors running on Android. Google has been working on its own 3D depth smartphone camera device under the code name Project Tango for some time but there's no word on when it might become available to the public.